Affine coding with offsets

ABSTRACT

In a method for video encoding in an encoder, a base predictor of a block in a current picture is determined. A plurality of offset indexes in a plurality of respective pre-defined mapping tables is determined, the plurality of offset indexes indicating corresponding offset values to be applied to parameters of an affine model for the base predictor. A coded video bitstream is generated, the coded video bitstream including prediction information that indicates the plurality of offset indexes. The pre-defined mapping tables include a first mapping table of distance offset indexes that are mapped to different pixel distances and a second mapping table of offset direction indexes that are mapped to different pairs of offset directions on an x-axis and a y-axis.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/242,506 filed Apr. 28, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/398,308 filed Apr. 30, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,039,157, which claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/734,998 filed Sep. 21, 2018, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure describes embodiments generally related to video coding.

BACKGROUND

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent the work is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.

Video coding and decoding can be performed using inter-picture prediction with motion compensation. Uncompressed digital video can include a series of pictures, each picture having a spatial dimension of, for example, 1920×1080 luminance samples and associated chrominance samples. The series of pictures can have a fixed or variable picture rate (informally also known as frame rate), of, for example 60 pictures per second or 60 Hz. Uncompressed video has significant bitrate requirements. For example, 1080p60 4:2:0 video at 8 bit per sample (1920×1080 luminance sample resolution at 60 Hz frame rate) requires close to 1.5 Gbit/s bandwidth. An hour of such video requires more than 600 GBytes of storage space.

One purpose of video coding and decoding can be the reduction of redundancy in the input video signal, through compression. Compression can help reduce the aforementioned bandwidth or storage space requirements, in some cases by two orders of magnitude or more. Both lossless and lossy compression, as well as a combination thereof can be employed. Lossless compression refers to techniques where an exact copy of the original signal can be reconstructed from the compressed original signal. When using lossy compression, the reconstructed signal may not be identical to the original signal, but the distortion between original and reconstructed signals is small enough to make the reconstructed signal useful for the intended application. In the case of video, lossy compression is widely employed. The amount of distortion tolerated depends on the application; for example, users of certain consumer streaming applications may tolerate higher distortion than users of television distribution applications. The compression ratio achievable can reflect that: higher allowable/tolerable distortion can yield higher compression ratios.

Motion compensation can be a lossy compression technique and can relate to techniques where a block of sample data from a previously reconstructed picture or part thereof (reference picture), after being spatially shifted in a direction indicated by a motion vector (MV henceforth), is used for the prediction of a newly reconstructed picture or picture part. In some cases, the reference picture can be the same as the picture currently under reconstruction. MVs can have two dimensions X and Y, or three dimensions, the third being an indication of the reference picture in use (the latter, indirectly, can be a time dimension).

In some video compression techniques, an MV applicable to a certain area of sample data can be predicted from other MVs, for example from those related to another area of sample data spatially adjacent to the area under reconstruction, and preceding that MV in decoding order. Doing so can substantially reduce the amount of data required for coding the MV, thereby removing redundancy and increasing compression. MV prediction can work effectively, for example, because when coding an input video signal derived from a camera (known as natural video) there is a statistical likelihood that areas larger than the area to which a single MV is applicable move in a similar direction and, therefore, can in some cases be predicted using a similar motion vector derived from MVs of neighboring area. That results in the MV found for a given area to be similar or the same as the MV predicted from the surrounding MVs, and that in turn can be represented, after entropy coding, in a smaller number of bits than what would be used if coding the MV directly. In some cases, MV prediction can be an example of lossless compression of a signal (namely: the MVs) derived from the original signal (namely: the sample stream). In other cases, MV prediction itself can be lossy, for example because of rounding errors when calculating a predictor from several surrounding MVs.

Various MV prediction mechanisms are described in H.265/HEVC (ITU-T Rec. H.265, “High Efficiency Video Coding”, December 2016). Out of the many MV prediction mechanisms that H.265 offers, described here is a technique henceforth referred to as “spatial merge”.

Referring to FIG. 1 , a current block (101) comprises samples that have been found by the encoder during the motion search process to be predictable from a previous block of the same size that has been spatially shifted. Instead of coding that MV directly, the MV can be derived from metadata associated with one or more reference pictures, for example from the most recent (in decoding order) reference picture, using the MV associated with either one of five surrounding samples, denoted A0, A1, and B0, B1, B2 (102 through 106, respectively). In H.265, the MV prediction can use predictors from the same reference picture that the neighboring block is using.

SUMMARY

Aspects of the disclosure provide methods and apparatuses for video encoding/decoding. In some examples, an apparatus for video decoding includes receiving circuitry and processing circuitry.

According to an aspect of the disclosure, a method for video decoding in a decoder is provided. In the disclosed method, prediction information of a block is decoded in a current picture from a coded video bitstream. The prediction information includes a plurality of offset indices for prediction offsets associated with an affine model in an inter prediction mode. Subsequently, parameters of the affine model are determined based on the plurality of offset indices. Each of the plurality of the offset indices including a respective pre-defined mapping table that includes indexes and corresponding offset values. The parameters of the affine model are used to transform between the block and a reference block in a reference picture that has been reconstructed. Further, at least a sample of the block is reconstructed according to the affine model.

In some embodiments, the plurality of offset indices include at least one of a distance offset index, an offset direction index, a delta scaling index, and a delta rotation index.

In some embodiments, a base predictor of the block is determined from a predictor candidate list based on a base predictor index that is signaled. The block includes two or more control points, the predictor candidate list including more than one predictor candidates. In some embodiments, and a base predictor of the block is determined based on a predefined base predictor index when the base predictor index is not signaled.

In some embodiments, the distance offset index is decoded to determine a distance offset value based on the respective pre-determined mapping table of the distance offset index. The offset direction index is decoded to determine an offset direction based on the respective pre-determined mapping table of the offset direction index. A motion vector for one of the two or more control points of the block is subsequently derived in the current picture based on at least one of the base predictor, the distance offset value, and the offset direction.

In some embodiments, a motion vector of a control point of the base predictor is set as the motion vector for the one of the two or more control points of the block in the current picture based on a determination that a zero motion vector difference flag is true.

In some embodiments, the distance offset value and the offset direction are applied onto a motion vector of a control point of the base predictor to generate the motion vector for the one of the two or more control points of the block in the current picture based on a determination that a zero motion vector difference flag is false.

In some embodiments, a first distance offset value and a first offset direction are applied onto a first motion vector of a control point of the base predictor on a first inter prediction direction to generate a first motion vector for the one of the two or more control points of the block in the current picture on the first inter prediction direction based on a determination that a first zero motion vector difference flag is false. In addition, a second distance offset value and a second offset direction are applied onto a second motion vector of the control point of the base predictor on a second inter prediction direction to generate a second motion vector for the one of the two or more control points of the block in the current picture on the second inter prediction direction based on the determination that a second zero motion vector difference flag is false.

In some embodiments, the pre-defined mapping table is adjustable and received at one of a sequence level, a slice level, a tile level, a tile group level, and a block level.

In some embodiments, the delta scaling index is decoded to determine a delta scaling parameter based on the respective pre-determined mapping table of the delta scaling index. The delta rotation index is decoded to determine a delta rotation parameter based on the respective pre-determined mapping table of the delta rotation index. The distance offset index is decoded to determine a distance offset value based on the respective pre-determined mapping table of the distance offset index. The offset direction index is decoded to determine an offset direction based on the respective pre-determined mapping table of the offset direction index. A motion vector for one of the two or more control points of the block is subsequently derived in the current picture based on at least one of the base predictor, the delta scaling parameter, the delta rotation parameter, the distance offset value, and the offset direction.

In some embodiments, a scaling parameter of the base predictor is set as a scaling parameter of the block in the current picture based on a determination that a zero delta flag is true. The delta scaling parameter is applied to the scaling parameter of the base predictor to generate the scaling parameter of the block based on a determination that the zero delta flag is false.

In some embodiments, a rotation parameter of the base predictor is set as a rotation parameter of the block based on a determination that a zero delta flag is true. The delta rotation parameter is applied to the rotation parameter of the base predictor to generate the rotation parameter of the block in the current picture based on a determination that the zero delta flag is false.

In some embodiments, a translational motion vector of the base predictor is set as a translational motion vector of the block based on a determination that a zero motion vector difference flag is true. The distance offset value and the offset direction are applied onto the translational motion vector of the base predictor to generate the translational motion vector of the block based on a determination that the zero motion vector difference flag is false.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus has processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to perform the disclosed method for video coding.

Aspects of the disclosure also provide a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which when executed by a computer for video decoding cause the computer to perform the method for video decoding.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features, the nature, and various advantages of the disclosed subject matter will be more apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a current block and its surrounding spatial merge candidates in one example.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a simplified block diagram of a communication system (200) in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a simplified block diagram of a communication system (300) in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a simplified block diagram of a decoder in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a simplified block diagram of an encoder in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of an encoder in accordance with another embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of a decoder in accordance with another embodiment.

FIG. 8 shows an example of spatial and temporal candidates in some examples.

FIG. 9 shows examples for UMVE according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 10 shows examples for UMVE according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 11 shows an example of a block with an affine motion model.

FIG. 12 shows examples of affine transformation according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 13 shows a diagram of a current block and two control points CP0 and CP1 of the current block according to some embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 14 shows a first flow chart outlining a process example according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 15 shows a second flow chart outlining a process example according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 16 shows a third flow chart outlining a process example according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 17 is a schematic illustration of a computer system in accordance with an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 2 illustrates a simplified block diagram of a communication system (200) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The communication system (200) includes a plurality of terminal devices that can communicate with each other, via, for example, a network (250). For example, the communication system (200) includes a first pair of terminal devices (210) and (220) interconnected via the network (250). In the FIG. 2 example, the first pair of terminal devices (210) and (220) performs unidirectional transmission of data. For example, the terminal device (210) may code video data (e.g., a stream of video pictures that are captured by the terminal device (210)) for transmission to the other terminal device (220) via the network (250). The encoded video data can be transmitted in the form of one or more coded video bitstreams. The terminal device (220) may receive the coded video data from the network (250), decode the coded video data to recover the video pictures and display video pictures according to the recovered video data. Unidirectional data transmission may be common in media serving applications and the like.

In another example, the communication system (200) includes a second pair of terminal devices (230) and (240) that performs bidirectional transmission of coded video data that may occur, for example, during videoconferencing. For bidirectional transmission of data, in an example, each terminal device of the terminal devices (230) and (240) may code video data (e.g., a stream of video pictures that are captured by the terminal device) for transmission to the other terminal device of the terminal devices (230) and (240) via the network (250). Each terminal device of the terminal devices (230) and (240) also may receive the coded video data transmitted by the other terminal device of the terminal devices (230) and (240), and may decode the coded video data to recover the video pictures and may display video pictures at an accessible display device according to the recovered video data.

In the FIG. 2 example, the terminal devices (210), (220), (230) and (240) may be illustrated as servers, personal computers and smart phones but the principles of the present disclosure may be not so limited. Embodiments of the present disclosure find application with laptop computers, tablet computers, media players and/or dedicated video conferencing equipment. The network (250) represents any number of networks that convey coded video data among the terminal devices (210), (220), (230) and (240), including for example wireline (wired) and/or wireless communication networks. The communication network (250) may exchange data in circuit-switched and/or packet-switched channels. Representative networks include telecommunications networks, local area networks, wide area networks and/or the Internet. For the purposes of the present discussion, the architecture and topology of the network (250) may be immaterial to the operation of the present disclosure unless explained herein below.

FIG. 3 illustrates, as an example for an application for the disclosed subject matter, the placement of a video encoder and a video decoder in a streaming environment. The disclosed subject matter can be equally applicable to other video enabled applications, including, for example, video conferencing, digital TV, storing of compressed video on digital media including CD, DVD, memory stick and the like, and so on.

A streaming system may include a capture subsystem (313), that can include a video source (301), for example a digital camera, creating for example a stream of video pictures (302) that are uncompressed. In an example, the stream of video pictures (302) includes samples that are taken by the digital camera. The stream of video pictures (302), depicted as a bold line to emphasize a high data volume when compared to encoded video data (304) (or coded video bitstreams), can be processed by an electronic device (320) that includes a video encoder (303) coupled to the video source (301). The video encoder (303) can include hardware, software, or a combination thereof to enable or implement aspects of the disclosed subject matter as described in more detail below. The encoded video data (304) (or encoded video bitstream (304)), depicted as a thin line to emphasize the lower data volume when compared to the stream of video pictures (302), can be stored on a streaming server (305) for future use. One or more streaming client subsystems, such as client subsystems (306) and (308) in FIG. 3 can access the streaming server (305) to retrieve copies (307) and (309) of the encoded video data (304). A client subsystem (306) can include a video decoder (310), for example, in an electronic device (330). The video decoder (310) decodes the incoming copy (307) of the encoded video data and creates an outgoing stream of video pictures (311) that can be rendered on a display (312) (e.g., display screen) or other rendering device (not depicted). In some streaming systems, the encoded video data (304), (307), and (309) (e.g., video bitstreams) can be encoded according to certain video coding/compression standards. Examples of those standards include ITU-T Recommendation H.265. In an example, a video coding standard under development is informally known as Versatile Video Coding (VVC). The disclosed subject matter may be used in the context of VVC.

It is noted that the electronic devices (320) and (330) can include other components (not shown). For example, the electronic device (320) can include a video decoder (not shown) and the electronic device (330) can include a video encoder (not shown) as well.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a video decoder (410) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The video decoder (410) can be included in an electronic device (430). The electronic device (430) can include a receiver (431) (e.g., receiving circuitry). The video decoder (410) can be used in the place of the video decoder (310) in the FIG. 3 example.

The receiver (431) may receive one or more coded video sequences to be decoded by the video decoder (410); in the same or another embodiment, one coded video sequence at a time, where the decoding of each coded video sequence is independent from other coded video sequences. The coded video sequence may be received from a channel (401), which may be a hardware/software link to a storage device which stores the encoded video data. The receiver (431) may receive the encoded video data with other data, for example, coded audio data and/or ancillary data streams, that may be forwarded to their respective using entities (not depicted). The receiver (431) may separate the coded video sequence from the other data. To combat network jitter, a buffer memory (415) may be coupled in between the receiver (431) and an entropy decoder/parser (420) (“parser (420)” henceforth). In certain applications, the buffer memory (415) is part of the video decoder (410). In others, it can be outside of the video decoder (410) (not depicted). In still others, there can be a buffer memory (not depicted) outside of the video decoder (410), for example to combat network jitter, and in addition another buffer memory (415) inside the video decoder (410), for example to handle playout timing. When the receiver (431) is receiving data from a store/forward device of sufficient bandwidth and controllability, or from an isosynchronous network, the buffer memory (415) may not be needed, or can be small. For use on best effort packet networks such as the Internet, the buffer memory (415) may be required, can be comparatively large and can be advantageously of adaptive size, and may at least partially be implemented in an operating system or similar elements (not depicted) outside of the video decoder (410).

The video decoder (410) may include the parser (420) to reconstruct symbols (421) from the coded video sequence. Categories of those symbols include information used to manage operation of the video decoder (410), and potentially information to control a rendering device such as a render device (412) (e.g., a display screen) that is not an integral part of the electronic device (430) but can be coupled to the electronic device (430), as was shown in FIG. 4 . The control information for the rendering device(s) may be in the form of Supplemental Enhancement Information (SEI messages) or Video Usability Information (VUI) parameter set fragments (not depicted). The parser (420) may parse/entropy-decode the coded video sequence that is received. The coding of the coded video sequence can be in accordance with a video coding technology or standard, and can follow various principles, including variable length coding, Huffman coding, arithmetic coding with or without context sensitivity, and so forth. The parser (420) may extract from the coded video sequence, a set of subgroup parameters for at least one of the subgroups of pixels in the video decoder, based upon at least one parameter corresponding to the group. Subgroups can include Groups of Pictures (GOPs), pictures, tiles, slices, macroblocks, Coding Units (CUs), blocks, Transform Units (TUs), Prediction Units (PUs) and so forth. The parser (420) may also extract from the coded video sequence information such as transform coefficients, quantizer parameter values, motion vectors, and so forth.

The parser (420) may perform an entropy decoding/parsing operation on the video sequence received from the buffer memory (415), so as to create symbols (421).

Reconstruction of the symbols (421) can involve multiple different units depending on the type of the coded video picture or parts thereof (such as: inter and intra picture, inter and intra block), and other factors. Which units are involved, and how, can be controlled by the subgroup control information that was parsed from the coded video sequence by the parser (420). The flow of such subgroup control information between the parser (420) and the multiple units below is not depicted for clarity.

Beyond the functional blocks already mentioned, the video decoder (410) can be conceptually subdivided into a number of functional units as described below. In a practical implementation operating under commercial constraints, many of these units interact closely with each other and can, at least partly, be integrated into each other. However, for the purpose of describing the disclosed subject matter, the conceptual subdivision into the functional units below is appropriate.

A first unit is the scaler/inverse transform unit (451). The scaler/inverse transform unit (451) receives a quantized transform coefficient as well as control information, including which transform to use, block size, quantization factor, quantization scaling matrices, etc. as symbol(s) (421) from the parser (420). The scaler/inverse transform unit (451) can output blocks comprising sample values, that can be input into aggregator (455).

In some cases, the output samples of the scaler/inverse transform (451) can pertain to an intra coded block; that is: a block that is not using predictive information from previously reconstructed pictures, but can use predictive information from previously reconstructed parts of the current picture. Such predictive information can be provided by an intra picture prediction unit (452). In some cases, the intra picture prediction unit (452) generates a block of the same size and shape of the block under reconstruction, using surrounding already reconstructed information fetched from the current picture buffer (458). The current picture buffer (458) buffers, for example, partly reconstructed current picture and/or fully reconstructed current picture. The aggregator (455), in some cases, adds, on a per sample basis, the prediction information the intra prediction unit (452) has generated to the output sample information as provided by the scaler/inverse transform unit (451).

In other cases, the output samples of the scaler/inverse transform unit (451) can pertain to an inter coded, and potentially motion compensated block. In such a case, a motion compensation prediction unit (453) can access reference picture memory (457) to fetch samples used for prediction. After motion compensating the fetched samples in accordance with the symbols (421) pertaining to the block, these samples can be added by the aggregator (455) to the output of the scaler/inverse transform unit (451) (in this case called the residual samples or residual signal) so as to generate output sample information. The addresses within the reference picture memory (457) from where the motion compensation prediction unit (453) fetches prediction samples can be controlled by motion vectors, available to the motion compensation prediction unit (453) in the form of symbols (421) that can have, for example X, Y, and reference picture components. Motion compensation also can include interpolation of sample values as fetched from the reference picture memory (457) when sub-sample exact motion vectors are in use, motion vector prediction mechanisms, and so forth.

The output samples of the aggregator (455) can be subject to various loop filtering techniques in the loop filter unit (456). Video compression technologies can include in-loop filter technologies that are controlled by parameters included in the coded video sequence (also referred to as coded video bitstream) and made available to the loop filter unit (456) as symbols (421) from the parser (420), but can also be responsive to meta-information obtained during the decoding of previous (in decoding order) parts of the coded picture or coded video sequence, as well as responsive to previously reconstructed and loop-filtered sample values.

The output of the loop filter unit (456) can be a sample stream that can be output to the render device (412) as well as stored in the reference picture memory (457) for use in future inter-picture prediction.

Certain coded pictures, once fully reconstructed, can be used as reference pictures for future prediction. For example, once a coded picture corresponding to a current picture is fully reconstructed and the coded picture has been identified as a reference picture (by, for example, the parser (420)), the current picture buffer (458) can become a part of the reference picture memory (457), and a fresh current picture buffer can be reallocated before commencing the reconstruction of the following coded picture.

The video decoder (410) may perform decoding operations according to a predetermined video compression technology in a standard, such as ITU-T Rec. H.265. The coded video sequence may conform to a syntax specified by the video compression technology or standard being used, in the sense that the coded video sequence adheres to both the syntax of the video compression technology or standard and the profiles as documented in the video compression technology or standard. Specifically, a profile can select certain tools as the only tools available for use under that profile from all the tools available in the video compression technology or standard. Also necessary for compliance can be that the complexity of the coded video sequence is within bounds as defined by the level of the video compression technology or standard. In some cases, levels restrict the maximum picture size, maximum frame rate, maximum reconstruction sample rate (measured in, for example megasamples per second), maximum reference picture size, and so on. Limits set by levels can, in some cases, be further restricted through Hypothetical Reference Decoder (HRD) specifications and metadata for HRD buffer management signaled in the coded video sequence.

In an embodiment, the receiver (431) may receive additional (redundant) data with the encoded video. The additional data may be included as part of the coded video sequence(s). The additional data may be used by the video decoder (410) to properly decode the data and/or to more accurately reconstruct the original video data. Additional data can be in the form of, for example, temporal, spatial, or signal noise ratio (SNR) enhancement layers, redundant slices, redundant pictures, forward error correction codes, and so on.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of a video encoder (503) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The video encoder (503) is included in an electronic device (520). The electronic device (520) includes a transmitter (540) (e.g., transmitting circuitry). The video encoder (503) can be used in the place of the video encoder (303) in the FIG. 3 example.

The video encoder (503) may receive video samples from a video source (501) (that is not part of the electronic device (520) in the FIG. 5 example) that may capture video image(s) to be coded by the video encoder (503). In another example, the video source (501) is a part of the electronic device (520).

The video source (501) may provide the source video sequence to be coded by the video encoder (503) in the form of a digital video sample stream that can be of any suitable bit depth (for example: 8 bit, 10 bit, 12 bit, . . . ), any colorspace (for example, BT.601 Y CrCB, RGB, . . . ), and any suitable sampling structure (for example Y CrCb 4:2:0, Y CrCb 4:4:4). In a media serving system, the video source (501) may be a storage device storing previously prepared video. In a videoconferencing system, the video source (501) may be a camera that captures local image information as a video sequence. Video data may be provided as a plurality of individual pictures that impart motion when viewed in sequence. The pictures themselves may be organized as a spatial array of pixels, wherein each pixel can comprise one or more samples depending on the sampling structure, color space, etc. in use. A person skilled in the art can readily understand the relationship between pixels and samples. The description below focuses on samples.

According to an embodiment, the video encoder (503) may code and compress the pictures of the source video sequence into a coded video sequence (543) in real time or under any other time constraints as required by the application. Enforcing appropriate coding speed is one function of a controller (550). In some embodiments, the controller (550) controls other functional units as described below and is functionally coupled to the other functional units. The coupling is not depicted for clarity. Parameters set by the controller (550) can include rate control related parameters (picture skip, quantizer, lambda value of rate-distortion optimization techniques, . . . ), picture size, group of pictures (GOP) layout, maximum motion vector search range, and so forth. The controller (550) can be configured to have other suitable functions that pertain to the video encoder (503) optimized for a certain system design.

In some embodiments, the video encoder (503) is configured to operate in a coding loop. As an oversimplified description, in an example, the coding loop can include a source coder (530) (e.g., responsible for creating symbols, such as a symbol stream, based on an input picture to be coded, and a reference picture(s)), and a (local) decoder (533) embedded in the video encoder (503). The decoder (533) reconstructs the symbols to create the sample data in a similar manner as a (remote) decoder also would create (as any compression between symbols and coded video bitstream is lossless in the video compression technologies considered in the disclosed subject matter). The reconstructed sample stream (sample data) is input to the reference picture memory (534). As the decoding of a symbol stream leads to bit-exact results independent of decoder location (local or remote), the content in the reference picture memory (534) is also bit exact between the local encoder and remote encoder. In other words, the prediction part of an encoder “sees” as reference picture samples exactly the same sample values as a decoder would “see” when using prediction during decoding. This fundamental principle of reference picture synchronicity (and resulting drift, if synchronicity cannot be maintained, for example because of channel errors) is used in some related arts as well.

The operation of the “local” decoder (533) can be the same as of a “remote” decoder, such as the video decoder (410), which has already been described in detail above in conjunction with FIG. 4 . Briefly referring also to FIG. 4 , however, as symbols are available and encoding/decoding of symbols to a coded video sequence by an entropy coder (545) and the parser (420) can be lossless, the entropy decoding parts of the video decoder (410), including the buffer memory (415), and parser (420) may not be fully implemented in the local decoder (533).

An observation that can be made at this point is that any decoder technology except the parsing/entropy decoding that is present in a decoder also necessarily needs to be present, in substantially identical functional form, in a corresponding encoder. For this reason, the disclosed subject matter focuses on decoder operation. The description of encoder technologies can be abbreviated as they are the inverse of the comprehensively described decoder technologies. Only in certain areas a more detail description is required and provided below.

During operation, in some examples, the source coder (530) may perform motion compensated predictive coding, which codes an input picture predictively with reference to one or more previously-coded picture from the video sequence that were designated as “reference pictures”. In this manner, the coding engine (532) codes differences between pixel blocks of an input picture and pixel blocks of reference picture(s) that may be selected as prediction reference(s) to the input picture.

The local video decoder (533) may decode coded video data of pictures that may be designated as reference pictures, based on symbols created by the source coder (530). Operations of the coding engine (532) may advantageously be lossy processes. When the coded video data may be decoded at a video decoder (not shown in FIG. 5 ), the reconstructed video sequence typically may be a replica of the source video sequence with some errors. The local video decoder (533) replicates decoding processes that may be performed by the video decoder on reference pictures and may cause reconstructed reference pictures to be stored in the reference picture cache (534). In this manner, the video encoder (503) may store copies of reconstructed reference pictures locally that have common content as the reconstructed reference pictures that will be obtained by a far-end video decoder (absent transmission errors).

The predictor (535) may perform prediction searches for the coding engine (532). That is, for a new picture to be coded, the predictor (535) may search the reference picture memory (534) for sample data (as candidate reference pixel blocks) or certain metadata such as reference picture motion vectors, block shapes, and so on, that may serve as an appropriate prediction reference for the new pictures. The predictor (535) may operate on a sample block-by-pixel block basis to find appropriate prediction references. In some cases, as determined by search results obtained by the predictor (535), an input picture may have prediction references drawn from multiple reference pictures stored in the reference picture memory (534).

The controller (550) may manage coding operations of the source coder (530), including, for example, setting of parameters and subgroup parameters used for encoding the video data.

Output of all aforementioned functional units may be subjected to entropy coding in the entropy coder (545). The entropy coder (545) translates the symbols as generated by the various functional units into a coded video sequence, by lossless compressing the symbols according to technologies such as Huffman coding, variable length coding, arithmetic coding, and so forth.

The transmitter (540) may buffer the coded video sequence(s) as created by the entropy coder (545) to prepare for transmission via a communication channel (560), which may be a hardware/software link to a storage device which would store the encoded video data. The transmitter (540) may merge coded video data from the video coder (503) with other data to be transmitted, for example, coded audio data and/or ancillary data streams (sources not shown).

The controller (550) may manage operation of the video encoder (503). During coding, the controller (550) may assign to each coded picture a certain coded picture type, which may affect the coding techniques that may be applied to the respective picture. For example, pictures often may be assigned as one of the following picture types:

An Intra Picture (I picture) may be one that may be coded and decoded without using any other picture in the sequence as a source of prediction. Some video codecs allow for different types of intra pictures, including, for example Independent Decoder Refresh (“IDR”) Pictures. A person skilled in the art is aware of those variants of I pictures and their respective applications and features.

A predictive picture (P picture) may be one that may be coded and decoded using intra prediction or inter prediction using at most one motion vector and reference index to predict the sample values of each block.

A bi-directionally predictive picture (B Picture) may be one that may be coded and decoded using intra prediction or inter prediction using at most two motion vectors and reference indices to predict the sample values of each block. Similarly, multiple-predictive pictures can use more than two reference pictures and associated metadata for the reconstruction of a single block.

Source pictures commonly may be subdivided spatially into a plurality of sample blocks (for example, blocks of 4×4, 8×8, 4×8, or 16×16 samples each) and coded on a block-by-block basis. Blocks may be coded predictively with reference to other (already coded) blocks as determined by the coding assignment applied to the blocks' respective pictures. For example, blocks of I pictures may be coded non-predictively or they may be coded predictively with reference to already coded blocks of the same picture (spatial prediction or intra prediction). Pixel blocks of P pictures may be coded predictively, via spatial prediction or via temporal prediction with reference to one previously coded reference picture. Blocks of B pictures may be coded predictively, via spatial prediction or via temporal prediction with reference to one or two previously coded reference pictures.

The video encoder (503) may perform coding operations according to a predetermined video coding technology or standard, such as ITU-T Rec. H.265. In its operation, the video encoder (503) may perform various compression operations, including predictive coding operations that exploit temporal and spatial redundancies in the input video sequence. The coded video data, therefore, may conform to a syntax specified by the video coding technology or standard being used.

In an embodiment, the transmitter (540) may transmit additional data with the encoded video. The source coder (530) may include such data as part of the coded video sequence. Additional data may comprise temporal/spatial/SNR enhancement layers, other forms of redundant data such as redundant pictures and slices, SEI messages, VUI parameter set fragments, and so on.

A video may be captured as a plurality of source pictures (video pictures) in a temporal sequence. Intra-picture prediction (often abbreviated to intra prediction) makes use of spatial correlation in a given picture, and inter-picture prediction makes uses of the (temporal or other) correlation between the pictures. In an example, a specific picture under encoding/decoding, which is referred to as a current picture, is partitioned into blocks. When a block in the current picture is similar to a reference block in a previously coded and still buffered reference picture in the video, the block in the current picture can be coded by a vector that is referred to as a motion vector. The motion vector points to the reference block in the reference picture, and can have a third dimension identifying the reference picture, in case multiple reference pictures are in use.

In some embodiments, a bi-prediction technique can be used in the inter-picture prediction. According to the bi-prediction technique, two reference pictures, such as a first reference picture and a second reference picture that are both prior in decoding order to the current picture in the video (but may be in the past and future, respectively, in display order) are used. A block in the current picture can be coded by a first motion vector that points to a first reference block in the first reference picture, and a second motion vector that points to a second reference block in the second reference picture. The block can be predicted by a combination of the first reference block and the second reference block.

Further, a merge mode technique can be used in the inter-picture prediction to improve coding efficiency.

According to some embodiments of the disclosure, predictions, such as inter-picture predictions and intra-picture predictions are performed in the unit of blocks. For example, according to the HEVC standard, a picture in a sequence of video pictures is partitioned into coding tree units (CTU) for compression, the CTUs in a picture have the same size, such as 64×64 pixels, 32×32 pixels, or 16×16 pixels. In general, a CTU includes three coding tree blocks (CTBs), which are one luma CTB and two chroma CTBs. Each CTU can be recursively quadtree split into one or multiple coding units (CUs). For example, a CTU of 64×64 pixels can be split into one CU of 64×64 pixels, or 4 CUs of 32×32 pixels, or 16 CUs of 16×16 pixels. In an example, each CU is analyzed to determine a prediction type for the CU, such as an inter prediction type or an intra prediction type. The CU is split into one or more prediction units (PUs) depending on the temporal and/or spatial predictability. Generally, each PU includes a luma prediction block (PB), and two chroma PBs. In an embodiment, a prediction operation in coding (encoding/decoding) is performed in the unit of a prediction block. Using a luma prediction block as an example of a prediction block, the prediction block includes a matrix of values (e.g., luma values) for pixels, such as 8×8 pixels, 16×16 pixels, 8×16 pixels, 16×8 pixels, and the like.

FIG. 6 shows a diagram of a video encoder (603) according to another embodiment of the disclosure. The video encoder (603) is configured to receive a processing block (e.g., a prediction block) of sample values within a current video picture in a sequence of video pictures, and encode the processing block into a coded picture that is part of a coded video sequence. In an example, the video encoder (603) is used in the place of the video encoder (303) in the FIG. 3 example.

In an HEVC example, the video encoder (603) receives a matrix of sample values for a processing block, such as a prediction block of 8×8 samples, and the like. The video encoder (603) determines whether the processing block is best coded using intra mode, inter mode, or bi-prediction mode using, for example, rate-distortion optimization. When the processing block is to be coded in intra mode, the video encoder (603) may use an intra prediction technique to encode the processing block into the coded picture; and when the processing block is to be coded in inter mode or bi-prediction mode, the video encoder (603) may use an inter prediction or bi-prediction technique, respectively, to encode the processing block into the coded picture. In certain video coding technologies, merge mode can be an inter picture prediction submode where the motion vector is derived from one or more motion vector predictors without the benefit of a coded motion vector component outside the predictors. In certain other video coding technologies, a motion vector component applicable to the subject block may be present. In an example, the video encoder (603) includes other components, such as a mode decision module (not shown) to determine the mode of the processing blocks.

In the FIG. 6 example, the video encoder (603) includes the inter encoder (630), an intra encoder (622), a residue calculator (623), a switch (626), a residue encoder (624), a general controller (621), and an entropy encoder (625) coupled together as shown in FIG. 6 .

The inter encoder (630) is configured to receive the samples of the current block (e.g., a processing block), compare the block to one or more reference blocks in reference pictures (e.g., blocks in previous pictures and later pictures), generate inter prediction information (e.g., description of redundant information according to inter encoding technique, motion vectors, merge mode information), and calculate inter prediction results (e.g., predicted block) based on the inter prediction information using any suitable technique. In some examples, the reference pictures are decoded reference pictures that are decoded based on the encoded video information.

The intra encoder (622) is configured to receive the samples of the current block (e.g., a processing block), in some cases compare the block to blocks already coded in the same picture, generate quantized coefficients after transform, and in some cases also intra prediction information (e.g., an intra prediction direction information according to one or more intra encoding techniques). In an example, the intra encoder (622) also calculates intra prediction results (e.g., predicted block) based on the intra prediction information and reference blocks in the same picture.

The general controller (621) is configured to determine general control data and control other components of the video encoder (603) based on the general control data. In an example, the general controller (621) determines the mode of the block, and provides a control signal to the switch (626) based on the mode. For example, when the mode is the intra mode, the general controller (621) controls the switch (626) to select the intra mode result for use by the residue calculator (623), and controls the entropy encoder (625) to select the intra prediction information and include the intra prediction information in the bitstream; and when the mode is the inter mode, the general controller (621) controls the switch (626) to select the inter prediction result for use by the residue calculator (623), and controls the entropy encoder (625) to select the inter prediction information and include the inter prediction information in the bitstream.

The residue calculator (623) is configured to calculate a difference (residue data) between the received block and prediction results selected from the intra encoder (622) or the inter encoder (630). The residue encoder (624) is configured to operate based on the residue data to encode the residue data to generate the transform coefficients. In an example, the residue encoder (624) is configured to convert the residue data from a spatial domain to a frequency domain, and generate the transform coefficients. The transform coefficients are then subject to quantization processing to obtain quantized transform coefficients. In various embodiments, the video encoder (603) also includes a residue decoder (628). The residue decoder (628) is configured to perform inverse-transform, and generate the decoded residue data. The decoded residue data can be suitably used by the intra encoder (622) and the inter encoder (630). For example, the inter encoder (630) can generate decoded blocks based on the decoded residue data and inter prediction information, and the intra encoder (622) can generate decoded blocks based on the decoded residue data and the intra prediction information. The decoded blocks are suitably processed to generate decoded pictures and the decoded pictures can be buffered in a memory circuit (not shown) and used as reference pictures in some examples.

The entropy encoder (625) is configured to format the bitstream to include the encoded block. The entropy encoder (625) is configured to include various information according to a suitable standard, such as the HEVC standard. In an example, the entropy encoder (625) is configured to include the general control data, the selected prediction information (e.g., intra prediction information or inter prediction information), the residue information, and other suitable information in the bitstream. Note that, according to the disclosed subject matter, when coding a block in the merge submode of either inter mode or bi-prediction mode, there is no residue information.

FIG. 7 shows a diagram of a video decoder (710) according to another embodiment of the disclosure. The video decoder (710) is configured to receive coded pictures that are part of a coded video sequence, and decode the coded pictures to generate reconstructed pictures. In an example, the video decoder (710) is used in the place of the video decoder (310) in the FIG. 3 example.

In the FIG. 7 example, the video decoder (710) includes an entropy decoder (771), an inter decoder (780), a residue decoder (773), a reconstruction module (774), and an intra decoder (772) coupled together as shown in FIG. 7 .

The entropy decoder (771) can be configured to reconstruct, from the coded picture, certain symbols that represent the syntax elements of which the coded picture is made up. Such symbols can include, for example, the mode in which a block is coded (such as, for example, intra mode, inter mode, bi-predicted mode, the latter two in merge submode or another submode), prediction information (such as, for example, intra prediction information or inter prediction information) that can identify certain sample or metadata that is used for prediction by the intra decoder (772) or the inter decoder (780), respectively, residual information in the form of, for example, quantized transform coefficients, and the like. In an example, when the prediction mode is inter or bi-predicted mode, the inter prediction information is provided to the inter decoder (780); and when the prediction type is the intra prediction type, the intra prediction information is provided to the intra decoder (772). The residual information can be subject to inverse quantization and is provided to the residue decoder (773).

The inter decoder (780) is configured to receive the inter prediction information, and generate inter prediction results based on the inter prediction information.

The intra decoder (772) is configured to receive the intra prediction information, and generate prediction results based on the intra prediction information.

The residue decoder (773) is configured to perform inverse quantization to extract de-quantized transform coefficients, and process the de-quantized transform coefficients to convert the residual from the frequency domain to the spatial domain. The residue decoder (773) may also require certain control information (to include the Quantizer Parameter (QP)), and that information may be provided by the entropy decoder (771) (data path not depicted as this may be low volume control information only).

The reconstruction module (774) is configured to combine, in the spatial domain, the residual as output by the residue decoder (773) and the prediction results (as output by the inter or intra prediction modules as the case may be) to form a reconstructed block, that may be part of the reconstructed picture, which in turn may be part of the reconstructed video. It is noted that other suitable operations, such as a deblocking operation and the like, can be performed to improve the visual quality.

It is noted that the video encoders (303), (503), and (603), and the video decoders (310), (410), and (710) can be implemented using any suitable technique. In an embodiment, the video encoders (303), (503), and (603), and the video decoders (310), (410), and (710) can be implemented using one or more integrated circuits. In another embodiment, the video encoders (303), (503), and (503), and the video decoders (310), (410), and (710) can be implemented using one or more processors that execute software instructions.

Aspects of the disclosure provide techniques for affine model prediction in video coding (encoding/decoding). Generally, a motion vector for a block can be coded either in an explicit way, to signal the difference to a motion vector predictor (e.g., advanced motion vector prediction or AMVP mode); or in an implicit way, to be indicated completely from one previously coded or generated motion vector. The later one is referred to as merge mode, meaning the current block is merged into a previously coded block by using its motion information.

Both the AMVP mode and the merge mode construct candidate list during decoding. FIG. 8 shows an example of spatial and temporal candidates in some examples.

For the merge mode in the inter prediction, merge candidates in a candidate list are primarily formed by checking motion information from either spatial or temporal neighboring blocks of the current block. In the FIG. 8 example, candidate blocks A1, B1, B0, A0 and B2 are sequentially checked. When any of the candidate blocks are valid candidates, for example, are coded with motion vectors, then, the motion information of the valid candidate blocks can be added into the merge candidate list. Some pruning operation is performed to make sure duplicated candidates will not be put into the list again. The candidate blocks A1, B1, B0, A0 and B2 are adjacent to corners of the current block, and are referred to as corner candidates.

After spatial candidates, temporal candidates are also checked into the list. In some examples, the current block's co-located block in a specified reference picture is found. The motion information at C0 position (bottom right corner of the current block) of the co-located block will be used as temporal merge candidate. If the block at this position is not coded in inter mode or not available, C1 position (at the outer bottom right corner of the center of the co-located block) will be used instead. The present disclosure provides techniques to further improve merge mode.

The advanced motion vector prediction (AMVP) mode in HEVC refers to using spatial and temporal neighboring blocks' motion information to predict the motion information of the current block, while the prediction residue is further coded. Examples of spatial and temporal neighboring candidates are shown in FIG. 8 as well.

In some embodiments, in AMVP mode, a two-candidate motion vector predictor list is formed. For example, the list includes a first candidate predictor and a second candidate predictor. The first candidate predictor is from the first available motion vector from the left edge, in the order of spatial A0, A1 positions. The second candidate predictor is from the first available motion vector from the top edge, in the order of spatial B0, B1 and B2 positions. If no valid motion vector can be found from the checked locations for either the left edge or the top edge, no candidate will be filled in the list. If the two candidates available and are the same, only one will be kept in the list. If the list is not full (with two different candidates), the temporal co- located motion vector (after scaling) from C0 location will be used as another candidate. If motion information at C0 location is not available, location C1 will be used instead.

In some examples, if there are still no enough motion vector predictor candidates, zero motion vector will be used to fill up the list.

In some embodiments, prediction offsets can be signaled on top of existing merge candidates. For example, a technique that is referred to as ultimate motion vector expression (UMVE) uses a special merge mode in which an offset (both magnitude and direction) on top of the existing merge candidates is signaled. In this technique, a few syntax elements, such as a prediction direction IDX, a base candidate IDX, a distance IDX, a search direction IDX, and the like, are signaled to describe such an offset. For example, the prediction direction IDX is used to indicate which of the prediction directions (temporal prediction direction, e.g., L0 reference direction, L1 reference direction or L0 and L1 reference directions) is used for UMVE mode. The base candidate IDX is used to indicate which of the existing merge candidates is used as the start point (based candidate) to apply the offset. The distance IDX is used to indicate how large the offset is from the starting point (along x or y direction, but not both). The offset magnitude is chosen from a fix number of selections. The search direction IDX is used to indicate the direction (x or y, + or − direction) to apply the offset.

In an example, assuming the starting point MV is MV_S, the offset is MV_offset. Then the final MV predictor will be MV_final=MV_S+MV_offset.

FIG. 9 shows examples for UMVE according to an embodiment of the disclosure. In an example, the starting point MV is shown by (911) (for example according to the prediction direction IDX and base candidate IDX), the offset is shown by (912) (for example according to the distance IDX and the search direction IDX), and the final MV predictor is shown by (913) in FIG. 9 . In another example, the starting point MV is shown by (921) (for example according to the prediction direction IDX and base candidate IDX), the offset is shown by (922) (for example according to the distance IDX and the search direction IDX), and the final MV predictor is shown by 923 in FIG. 9 .

FIG. 10 shows examples for UMVE according to an embodiment of the disclosure. For example, the starting point MV is shown by (1011) (for example according to the prediction direction IDX and base candidate IDX). In the FIG. 10 example, 4 search directions, such as +Y, −Y, +X and −X, are used, and the four search directions can be indexed by 0, 1, 2, 3. The distance can be indexed by 0 (0 distance to the starting point MV), 1 (1s to the starting point MV), 2 (2s to the starting point MV), 3 (3s to the starting point), and the like. Thus, when the search direction IDX is 3, and the distance IDX is 2, the final MV predictor is shown as 1015.

In another example, the search direction and the distance can be combined for indexing. For example, the starting point MV is shown by (1021) (for example according to the prediction direction IDX and base candidate IDX). The search direction and the distance are combined to be indexed by 0-12 as shown in FIG. 10 .

According to an aspect of the disclosure, affine motion compensation, by describing a 6-parameter (or a simplified 4-parameter) affine model for a coding block, can efficiently predict the motion information for samples within the current block. More specifically, in an affine coded or described coding block, different part of the samples can have different motion vectors. The basic unit to have a motion vector in an affine coded or described block is referred to as a sub-block. The size of a sub-block can be as small as 1 sample only; and can be as large as the size of current block.

When an affine mode is determined, for each sample in the current block, its motion vector (relative to the targeted reference picture) can be derived using such a model (e.g., 6 parameter affine motion model or 4 parameter affine motion model). In order to reduce implementation complexity, affine motion compensation is performed on a sub-block basis, instead of on a sample basis. That means, each sub-block will derive its motion vector and for samples in each sub-block, the motion vector is the same. A specific location of each sub-block is assumed, such as the top-left or the center point of the sub-block, to be the representative location. In one example, such a sub-block size contains 4×4 samples.

In general, an affine motion model has 6 parameters to describe the motion information of a block. After the affine transformation, a rectangular block will become a parallelogram. In an example, the 6 parameters of an affine coded block can be represented by 3 motion vectors at three different locations of the block.

FIG. 11 shows an example of a block (1100) with an affine motion model. The block (1100) uses motion vectors {right arrow over (v₀)}, {right arrow over (v₁)}, and {right arrow over (v₂)}at three corner locations A, B and C to describe the motion information of the affine motion model used for the block (1100). These locations A, B and C are referred to as control points.

In simplified example, an affine motion model uses 4 parameters to describe the motion information of a block based on an assumption that after the affine transformation, the shape of the block does not change. Therefore, a rectangular block will remain a rectangular and same aspect ratio (e.g., height/width) after the transformation. The affine motion model of such a block can be represented by two motion vectors at two different locations, such as at corner locations A and B.

FIG. 12 shows examples of affine transformation for a 6-parameter affine mode (using 6-parameter affine model) and a 4-parameter affine mode (using 4-parameter affine model).

In an example, when assumptions are made such that the object only has zooming and translational motions, or the object only has rotation and translation models, then the affine motion model can be further simplified to a 3-parameter affine motion model with 2 parameters to indicate the translational part and 1 parameter to indicate either a scaling factor for zooming or an angular factor for rotation.

According to an aspect of the disclosure, when affine motion compensation is used, two signaling techniques can be used. The two signaling techniques are referred to as a merge mode based signaling technique and a residue (AMVP) mode based signaling technique.

For the merge mode based signaling technique, the affine information of the current block is predicted from previously affine coded blocks. In one method, the current block is assumed to be in the same affine object as the reference block, so that the MVs at the control points of the current block can be derived from the reference block's model. The MVs at the current block' other locations are just linearly modified in the same way as from one control point to another in the reference block. This method is referred to as model based affine prediction. In another method, neighboring blocks' motion vectors are used directly as the motion vectors at current block's control points. Then motion vectors at the rest of the block are generated using the information from the control points. This method is referred as control point based affine prediction. In either method, no residue components of the MVs at current block are to be signaled. In other words, the residue components of the MVs are assumed to be zero.

For the residue (AMVP) mode based signaling technique, affine parameters, or the MVs at the control points of the current block, are to be predicted. Because there are more than one motion vectors to be predicted, the candidate list for motion vectors at all control points is organized in grouped way such that each candidate in the list includes a set of motion vector predictors for all control points. For example, candidate 1={predictor for control point A, predictor for control point B, predictor for control point C}; candidate 2={predictor for control point A, predictor for control point B, predictor for control point C}, etc. The predictor for the same control point in different candidates can be the same or different. The motion vector predictor flag ((mvp_10_flag for List 0 or mvp_11_flag for List 1) will be used to indicate which candidate from the list is chosen. After prediction, the residue part of the parameter, or the differences of the actual MVs to the MV predictors at the control points, are to be signaled. The MV predictor at each control point can also come from model based affine prediction from one of its neighbors, using the method described from the above description for merge mode based on signaling technique.

In some related methods, affine parameters for a block can be either purely derived from neighboring block's affine model or control points' MV predictor, or from explicitly signal the MV differences at the control points. However, in many cases the non-translational part of the affine parameters is very close to zero. Using unrestricted MV difference coding to signal the affine parameters has redundancy.

Aspects of the disclosure provide new techniques to improve the efficiency of affine motion compensation. More specifically, to predict affine model parameters in a more efficient way. In the disclosure, affine motion information of a block is represented by using an affine model parameter prediction. A prediction candidate (or predictor) that is used can be similar to the affine merge candidates or affine AMVP candidates as described above. A delta of motion information between a predicted block and a prediction candidate block can be represented in two ways: 1) using deltas of affine parameters; 2) using deltas of motion vectors of control points of a current block. The delta of each of the affine parameters or the delta of each of the motion vectors of the control points can be a respective set of predetermined offset values. The predetermined offset values can be considered as some refinements or offsets around the corresponding base parameters of the predictor. The encoder evaluates a best option from the predetermined offset values and signals an index of the offset choice to the decoder. The decoder restores the affine model parameters or motion vectors of control points according to the signaled index.

In the disclosure, an affine merge candidate can include two or more control points. Each of the control points can include one or more MVs. Offsets (e.g., distance and direction) for each of the control point's MVs can be sent by the encoder to represent an affine motion. A distance offset table size can be variable and can be signaled or predefined. A value range of the distance offset can be variable and determined via a high-level syntax. A set of candidate step sizes are provided. An index of the selection can be signaled, such as at slice level. The encoder can use data from previous coded picture to make decision.

In some embodiments, the current block has N control points (CPs), where N is a positive integer and more than one. For each of the N CPs, a zero_MVD flag is used to indicate whether a motion vector difference (MVD) is zero. The MVD is a difference between a MV of the control point and a motion vector prediction (MPV) of the control point. If first (N-1) CPs have zero_MVD flag that equals to one (i.e., zero MVD), a last CP's zero_MVD flag is inferred to be zero (i.e., none zero MVD).

In some embodiments, the disclosure includes affine parameter based affine mode offset signaling.

The method can be illustrated based on a 4-parameter affine model with 2 control points (e.g., CP0 and CP1), as shown in FIG. 13 . However, FIG. 13 is a merely example and the methods in the disclosure can be extended to other motion models, or affine models with different numbers of parameters. In some embodiments, the model used may not always be affine model, but possibly other types of motion.

In an example, a 4-parameter affine model is described, such as shown by Eq. 1,

$\begin{matrix} \left\{ {\begin{matrix} {x^{\prime} = {{\rho\cos{\theta \cdot x}} + {\rho\sin{\theta \cdot y}} + c}} \\ {y^{\prime} = {{{- \rho}\sin{\theta \cdot x}} + {\rho\cos{\theta \cdot y}} + f}} \end{matrix},} \right. & {{Eq}.1} \end{matrix}$ where ρ is the scaling factor for zooming, θ is the angular factor for rotation, and (c, f) is the motion vector to describe the translational motion. (x, y) is a pixel location in the current picture, (x′, y′) is a corresponding pixel location in the reference picture.

Let a=ρcos θ, and let b=ρsin θ, Eq. 1 may become the following form as in Eq. 2

$\begin{matrix} \left\{ \begin{matrix} {x^{\prime} = {{a \cdot x} + {b \cdot y} + c}} \\ {y^{\prime} = {{{- b} \cdot x} + {a \cdot y} + f}} \end{matrix} \right. & {{Eq}.2} \end{matrix}$ Thus, a 4-parameter affine model can be represented by a set of model-based parameters {ρ, θ, c, f}, or {a, b, c, f}. Based on Eq. 2, motion vector (MV_(x), MV_(y)) at a pixel position (x, y) can be described as in Eq. 3.

$\begin{matrix} \left\{ {\begin{matrix} {{MV}_{x} = {{x^{\prime} - x} = {{ax} + {by} + c}}} \\ {{MV}_{y} = {{y^{\prime} - y} = {{- {bx}} + {ay} + f}}} \end{matrix},} \right. & {{Eq}.3} \end{matrix}$ where V_(x) is a horizontal motion vector value, and V_(y) is a vertical motion vector value.

The 4-parameter affine model can also be represented by the motion vectors of two control points, CP0 and CP1, of the block. Similarly, three control points may be required to represent a 6-parameter affine model. To derive the motion vector at position (x, y) in the current block, a following Eq. 4 can be used:

$\begin{matrix} \left\{ \begin{matrix} {v_{x} = {{\frac{\left( {v_{1x} - v_{0x}} \right)}{w}x} - {\frac{\left( {v_{1y} - v_{0y}} \right)}{w}y} + v_{0x}}} \\ {v_{y} = {{\frac{\left( {v_{1y} - v_{0y}} \right)}{w}x} + {\frac{\left( {v_{1x} - v_{0x}} \right)}{w}y} + v_{0y}}} \end{matrix} \right. & {{Eq}.4} \end{matrix}$ where (v_(0x), v_(0y)) is a motion vector of the top-left corner control point, CP0 as depicted in FIG. 13 , and (v_(1x), v_(1y)) is a motion vector of the top-right corner control point, CP1 as depicted in FIG. 13 . Accordingly, in the control-point based model, the affine model of the block can be represented by {v_(0x), v_(0y), v_(1x), v_(1y), }.

The affine model can be predicted by using MVs of the control points located at two or three corners of the current block, either by the model-based prediction or corner control-points based prediction. After the motion vector prediction for the two or three control points, the MV differences (MVDs) of the control points can be signaled. A set of pre-defined delta values can be applied to represent a real MV difference.

FIG. 14 shows a first flow chart that outlines an exemplary process (1400) of control-point motion vector based affine merge with offset. As shown in FIG. 14 , the process (1400) can start from (S1410) where a merge flag and an affine_merge_with offset usage flag of the current block are signaled by the encoder and coded by the decoder subsequently. When both the merge flag and the affine_merge_with offset usage flag are false, the process (1400) proceeds to (S1420) where a traditional merge mode is applied to predict the current block. When both the merge flag and the affine_merge_with offset usage flag are true, the process (1400) proceeds to (S1430). At (S1430), when more than one predictor candidates are used to decide a base predictor, a base predictor index is signaled by the encoder at (S1450). Otherwise, the process (1400) proceeds to (S1440) where a predefined base predictor index is applied.

The process (1400) then proceeds to (S1460) when the base predictor is defined either at (S1430) or (S1440). At (S1460), for each of the control points of the current block, a Zero_MVD flag is signaled by the encoder. It should be noted that when all other CPs have a Zero_MVD that is equal to one (i.e., true), a last CP is inferred to be zero (i.e., false) without signaling.

Still referring to (S1460), when the Zero_MVD flag is true, the process (1400) proceeds to (S1480) where a MV of a control point of the base predictor is set as a MV of a control point of the block. When the Zero_MVD flag is false, the process (1400) proceeds to (S1470) where a Distance Offset Index and an Offset Direction Index for the CP of the block is signaled by the encoder. At (S1480), the decoder subsequently decodes the distance offset index to determine a distance offset value, and decode the offset direction index to determine an offset direction. The distance offset value and the offset direction are accordingly applied onto the motion vector of the control point of the base predictor to generate the motion vector of the control point of the block in the current picture.

In an embodiment, a usage flag is signaled after a merge flag to indicate whether the proposed method is used or not. Since the proposed method is applied for affine inter prediction, when the usage flag is signaled to be true, an affine flag for the current block can be inferred to be true. Accordingly, the signaling of affine flag can be skipped.

In another embodiment, a usage flag is signaled after the merge flag and the affine flag when both the merge flag and the affine flag are true. Otherwise, when the merge flag is false or affine flag is false, the usage flag is inferred to be false.

When the proposed method is used, a base index can be signaled to indicate which affine predictor candidate is used as a base predictor. In an embodiment, when only one affine predictor candidate is allowed, the base index can be skipped, and a predefined affine predictor candidate can be used as the base predictor. In an embodiment, the base index indicates which candidate from affine merge candidate list to be used as the base predictor. In another embodiment, the base index indicates which affine MVP candidate to be used as the base predictor. When an affine merge candidate or an affine MVP candidate is unavailable, the proposed method may be disabled or may be enabled with a default base affine model, such as translational model, or zero motion vectors, etc.

For each of the control points of the current block, a Zero_MVD flag can be used to indicate whether the motion vector difference (MVD) is zero for the control point. When the MVD is indicated to be zero, the MV of the control point is set as the MV of the corresponding control point of the base predictor.

In an embodiment, Zero_MVD flag may be explicitly signaled for all control points. In another embodiment, when all previous control points have a Zero_MVD flag that is signaled to be true, the last control point's Zero_MVD flag can be inferred to be false.

When the MVD value is not zero for a control point, a distance offset index and an offset direction index can be signaled to represent the MVD value of the corresponding control point. Table 1 is an example of the signals applied for a 4-parameter affine model, which has two control points.

TABLE 1 Signals applied for a 4-parameter affine model Usage Base CP0 CP0 CP0 CP1 CP1 CP1 Flag Predictor Zero_MVD Distance Direction Zero_MVD Distance Direction Index Flag Index Index Flag Index Index

For a 6-parameter affine model, where 3 control points (CP) can be signaled, the signaling can shows as Table 2.

TABLE 2 Signals applied for a 6-parameter affine model Usage Base CP0 CP0 CP0 CP1 CP1 CP1 CP2 CP2 CP2 Flag Predictor zero_MVD Distance Direction zero_MVD Distance Direction zero_MVD Distance Direction Index Flag Index Index Flag Index Index Flag Index Index

In the proposed method, a pixel distance offset can be signaled by a distance offset index. In a distance offset table, a distance offset index is mapped to a corresponding distance offset in number of pixels. The distance offset value can be an integer or fractional values. The distance offset value can be further applied to the base predictor's motion vector value.

In an embodiment, a distance offset table with a size of four indices can be shown in Table 3. The distance offset values in Table 3 can be {½, 1, 2, 4}, in terms of pixels.

TABLE 3 A distance offset table with a size of four indices Distance IDX 0 1 2 3 Distance offset ½-pel 1-pel 2-pel 4-pel

In another embodiment, Table 4 illustrates that the distance offset values can be {⅛, ¼, ½,1}, in terms of pixels.

TABLE 4 Another distance offset table with a size of four indices Distance IDX 0 1 2 3 Distance offset ⅛-pel ¼-pel ½-pel 1-pel

In an embodiment, a distance offset table with size of five indices can be shown in Table 5. The distance offset values in Table 5 can be {½, 1, 2, 4, 8}, in terms of pixels.

TABLE 5 A distance offset table with a size of five indices Distance IDX 0 1 2 3 4 Distance offset ½-pel 1-pel 2-pel 4-pel 8-pel

In another embodiment, a mapping table of distance offset values with eight indices can be shown in Table 6. The distance offset values can be in a range from ¼pixels to 32 pixels.

TABLE 6 A distance offset table with a size of eight indices Distance IDX 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Distance offset ¼-pel ½-pel 1-pel 2-pel 4-pel 8-pel 16-pel 32-pel

In another embodiment, a mapping table of distance offset values with eight indices can be shown in Table 7. The distance offset values in Table 7 can be in a range from 1/16 pixels to 8 pixels.

TABLE 7 Another distance offset table with a size of eight indices Distance IDX 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Distance offset 1/16-pel ⅛-pel ¼-pel ½-pel 1-pel 2-pel 4-pel 8-pel

It should be noted that the tables mentioned above are merely examples. The distance index in a distance offset table can have various sizes, such as four, five or eight that are illustrated in Table 3, 5 and 6 respectively. In the distance offset table, each of the distance offset indices is mapped to a respective distance offset. The distance offset can also have different values or be in different ranges.

In an embodiment, the size of the distance offset table can be same for all control points of the current block.

In another embodiment, the size of the distance offset table can be different for each of the control points. For example, for a 4-parameter affine model with two control points, the first control point CP0 can have a distance offset table with five entries (indices). The second control point CP1 can have a distance offset table with four entries (indices). The possible table size may not be limited to examples mentioned above in Tables 3-7.

In the proposed method, an offset direction index is mapped to one or more offset directions, such as an x-axis and a y-axis. The offset direction index corresponds to directions of the MVD relative to the base predictor's MV value. Each of the offset directions is correlated to a component of the distance offset that can be applied to the MV of the based predictor.

In an embodiment, the offset direction index can include four directions as shown in Table 8. Each of the four directions can include a respective x-axis (x-offset direction component) and a respective y-axis (y-offset direction component). As shown in Table 8, the MVD exists on either the x-axis or the y-axis, but not on both axes.

TABLE 8 Mapping of direction IDXs to directions Offset Direction IDX 00 01 10 11 x-axis + − 0 0 y-axis 0 0 + −

In another example, the MVD can exist on x-axis only, y-axis only, or both axes, which can be illustrated in Table 9. As shown in Table 9, the offset direction index can include eight directions, and one of the eight directions can be applied.

TABLE 9 Mapping of direction IDXs to directions Offset Direction IDX 000 001 010 011 100 101 110 111 x-axis + + 0 − − − 0 + y-axis 0 + − − 0 + + −

In the disclosure, when the proposed method is applied, similar to affine merge mode, an inter prediction direction of the current block can use an inter prediction direction from the base predictor.

In some embodiments, when the base predictor's inter prediction is uni-directional, which means the motion vectors of the control points of the current block are pointing to only one reference picture along either forward or backward direction, the motion vector difference (MVD) between the MV of the current block and the MVP of the current block (i.e., the MV of the base predictor) can be derived based on a valid inter prediction direction. For each of the offset directions mentioned above, the distance offset value can be applied to the motion vector value of the base predictor's corresponding control point along an offset direction component (e.g., x-axis, y-axis) that is not zero.

For example, the current block can have two control points CP0 and CP1. The control point CP0 can have a motion vector MV0 (v_(0x), v_(0y)) and the control point CP1 can have a MV1 (v_(1z), v_(1y)). The base predictor of the current block can have two control points CP0_(p) and CP1_(p). The control point CP0_(p) can have a motion vector MVPO (v_(0px), v_(0py)) and the control point CP1_(p) can have a motion vector MVP1 (v_(1px), v_(1py)). When the CP0's MVD flag indicates that the MVD of CP0 is a non-zero MVD, a distance offset of the CP0 is signaled to be 1-pel, an offset direction of the CP0 is signaled to be “+” on x-axis and 0 on y-axis, the CP1's MVD flag indicates the MVD of CP1 is non-zero, a distance offset of the CP1 is signaled to be 2-pel, and an offset direction of the CP1 is 0 on x-axis and “-” on y-axis, motion vector values for CP0 and CP1 can be derived as follows: MV0(v _(0x) , v _(0y))=MVP0 (v _(0px) , v _(0py))+MV(1, 0), so that v _(0x) =v _(0px)+1, v _(0y) =v _(0py); MV1(v _(1x) , v _(1y))=MVP1 (v _(1px) , v _(1py))+MV(0, −2), so that v _(1x) =v _(1px) , v _(1py)−2. where MV(1,0) is the MVD of the CP0 of the current block and MV (0, −2) is the MVD of the CP1 of the current block.

In some embodiments, when the base predictor's inter prediction is bi-directional, each of the control points of the current block can have motion vectors on both inter prediction directions, and different methods can be applied to derive the motion vectors on the two valid directions.

In an embodiment, the signaled distance offset and offset direction can be applied to MVPs of the control point on both inter prediction directions in a same way. For example, a distance offset index and an offset direction index are signaled for a control point of the current block which has two motion vector predictor values on two respective prediction directions, and the distance offset index and the offset direction index can be applied to the two motion vector predictor values of the control point in the same way. The signaled distance offset and offset direction can be applied on top of the MVP value on an inter direction with reference list L0. The same distance offset and offset direction can be applied on top of the MVP value on the inter direction with reference list L1.

For example, the current block can have two control points CP0 and CP1. The CP0 has a motion vectors L0_MV0 (L0_v_(0x), L0_v_(0y)) on an inter direction L0, and a motion vector L1_MV0(L1_v_(0x), L1_v_(0y)) on an inter direction L1. The CP1 has a motion vectors L0_MV1 (L0_v_(1x), L0_v_(1y)) on the inter direction L0, and a motion vector L1_MV1 (L0_v_(1x), L0_v_(1y)) on the inter direction L1. The base predictor can have two control points CP0_(p) and CP1_(p). The CP0_(p) can have a motion vectors L0_MVP0 (L0_v_(0px), L0_v_(0py)) on the inter direction L0, and a motion vector L1_MVP0 (L1_v_(0px), L1_v_(0py)) on the inter direction L1. The CP1_(p) can have a motion vector L0_MVP1 (L0_v_(1px), L0_v_(1py)) on the inter direction L0, and a motion vector L1_MVP1 (L1_v_(1px), L1_v_(1px)) on the inter direction L1. When the CP0's MVD flag indicates that the MVD of the CP0 is a non-zero MVD, a distance offset of CP0 is signaled to be 1-pel, an offset direction of CP0 is signaled to be “+” on x-axis and 0 on y-axis, the CPI's MVD flag indicates that the MVD of the CP1 is a non-zero MVD, a distance offset of CP1 is signaled to be 2-pel, an offset direction of CP1 is 0 on x-axis and “−” on y-axis, the derived motion vector values for CP0 and CP1 of the current block can be: L0_MV0(L0_v _(0x) , L0_v _(0y))=L0_MVP0(L0_v _(0px) , L0_v _(0py))+MV(1, 0), so that L0_v _(0x) =L0_v _(0px)+1, L0_v _(0y) =L0_v _(0py); L1_MV0(L1_v _(0x) , L1_v _(0y))=L1_MVP0(L1_v _(0px) , L1_v _(0py))+MV(1, 0), so that L1_v _(0x) =L1_v _(0px)+1, L1_v _(0y) =L1_v _(0py); L0_MV1(L0_v _(1x) , L0_v _(1y))=L0_MVP1(L1_v _(1px) , L0_v _(1py))+L0_MV(0, −2), so that L0_v_(1x)=L0_v _(1px) , L0_v _(1y) =L0_v _(1py)−2; and L1_MV1(L1_v _(1x) , L1_v _(1y))=L1_MVP1(L1_v _(1px) , L1_v _(1py))+L1_MV(0, −2), so that L1_v _(1x) =L1_v _(1px) , L1_v _(1y) =L1_v _(1py)−2.

In another embodiment, the signaled distance offset and offset direction can be applied to MVPs of the control point on two inter prediction directions with a same distance offset but mirrored offset directions. For example, a distance offset index and an offset direction index are signaled for a control point of the current block which has two motion vector predictor values on two respective prediction directions, but the distance offset index and the offset direction index can be applied to the two motion vector predictor values of the control point in a different way. The signaled distance offset and offset direction can be applied on top of the MVP value on the inter direction with reference list L0, and the same distance offset and an opposite offset direction can be applied on top of the MVP value on the inter direction with reference list L1.

For example, the current block can have two control points CP0 and CP1. The CP0 has a motion vectors L0_MV0 (L0_v_(0x), L0_v_(0y)) on an inter direction L0, and a motion vector L1_MV0 (L1_v_(0x), L1_v_(0y)) on an inter direction L1. The CP1 has a motion vectors L0_MV1 (L0_v_(1x), L0_v_(0y)) on the inter direction L0, and a motion vector L1_MV1 (L0_v_(1x), L0_v_(1y)) on the inter direction L1. The base predictor can have two control points CP0_(p) and CP1_(p). The CP0_(p) can have a motion vectors L0_MVP0 (L0_v_(0px), L0_v_(0py)) on the inter direction L0, and a motion vector L1_MVP0 (L1_v_(0px), L1_v_(0py)) on the inter direction L1. The CP1_(p) can have a motion vector L0_MVP1 (L0_v_(1px), L0_v_(1py)) on the inter direction L0, and a motion vector L1_MVP1 (L1_v_(1px), L1_v_(1py)) on the inter direction L1. When the CP0's MVD flag indicates that the MVD of the CP0 is a non-zero MVD, a distance offset of CP0 is signaled to be 1-pel, an offset direction of CP0 is signaled to be “+” on x-axis and 0 on y-axis, the CP1's MVD flag indicates that the MVD of the CP1 is a non-zero MVD, a distance offset of CP1 is signaled to be 2-pel, an offset direction of CP1 is 0 on x-axis and “−” on y-axis, the derived motion vector values for CP0 and CP1 of the current block can be: L0_MV0 (L0_v _(0x) , L0_v _(0y))=L0_MVP0 (L0_v _(0px) , L0_v _(0py))+MV(1, 0), so that L0_v _(0x) =L0_v _(0px)+1, L0_v _(0y) =L0_v _(0py); L1_MV0 (L1_v _(0x) , L1_v _(0y))=L1_MVP0 (L1_v _(0px) , L1_v _(0py))+MV(−1, 0), so that L1_v _(0x) =L1_v _(0px)−2, L1_v _(0py); L0_MV1(L0_v _(1x) , L0_v _(1y))=L0_MVP1 (L0_v _(1px) , L0_v _(1py))+L0_MV(0, −2), so that L0_v _(1x) =L0_v _(1px) , L0_v _(1y) =L0_v _(1py)−2; and L1_MV1(L1_v _(1x) L1_v _(1y))=L1_MVP1 (L1_v _(1px) , L1_v _(1py))+L1_MV(0, 2), so that L1_v _(1x) =L1_v _(1px) , L1_v _(1y) =L1_v _(1py)+2.

In another embodiment, the signaling of distance offset index and offset direction is done separately for each of the inter prediction directions. So that for each of the control points with bi-directional affine inter prediction, two distance offset indices and two offset directions can be signaled by the encoder.

In an embodiment, a same distance offset mapping table and/or the offset direction mapping table can be used for all cases that are mentioned above.

In another embodiment, a different distance offset mapping table and/or a different offset direction mapping table can be used. A determined mapping table can be signaled at a sequence level, a slice level, a tile level, a tile group level, or a block level.

In another embodiment, a different distance offset mapping table and/or a different offset direction mapping table can be used for each sequence without signaling. A determination of the mapping table can be made based on resolution of the encoded video sequence, profile/level of coded, user configuration, etc.

In an embodiment, the above derivation can be applied on each of the control points' MV difference (MVD) for the affine mode.

In another embodiment, after coding of MV difference for the first control point, the MV difference of the first control point can be used to predict other MV difference(s) before performing MVD coding for other MVD(s) of other control points. Such a process is referred as MVD prediction. After the MVD prediction, a MVD prediction error can be coded by using the methods proposed in the disclosure, which applies a pre-defined set of values to approximate the actual value of the MVD.

In the proposed method, on the encoder side, different search methods can be applied to determine best parameters to use for the proposed MVD coding methods.

In an embodiment, all possible combinations of a base predictor, a MVD coding flag for each of the control points, a distance offset index, and an offset direction index, can be tested to find a best combination with optimal rate-distortion cost.

In another embodiment, two rounds of search can be applied. In the first round of search, a fixed distance offset value can be applied along with all possible combinations of the MVD flag and offset directions. Based on the best MVD flag and/or offset direction determined by the first round of search, the second round search can test all remaining distance offset indices to find a final best prediction.

In the disclosure, the affine model can also be predicted by using MVs of the control points located at two or three corners of the current block through an affine parameter {ρ, θ, c, f} based affine motion information prediction. The method mentioned above can also be applied to the affine parameter based affine motion information prediction, where a set of pre-defined delta values around the base predictor's affine model parameters can be applied to derive the actual affine model that is used in the current block. Because the number of delta values are limited, the proposed method can be regarded as a quantized version of signaling affine parameters.

Following discussion provides some embodiments to specify values of ρ and θ to define the affine model. idx_ρ and idx_θ are indices associated with the two parameters ρ and θ respectively. When idx_ρ and idx_θ are zero, the model goes back to translational model. When idx)ρ and idx_θ are not zero, a small delta can be applied to the base predictor's affine parameter values in order to generate the affine model parameters for the current block.

FIG. 15 shows a second flow chart that outlines a process (1500) of affine parameter based affine merge with offset. As shown in FIG. 15 , the process (1500) can start from (S1502) where a merge flag and an affine_merge_with offset usage flag of the current block are signaled by the encoder and coded by the decoder subsequently. When both the merge flag and the affine_merge_with offset usage flag are false, the process (1500) proceeds to (S1503) where a traditional merge mode is applied to predict the current block. When both the merge flag and the affine_merge_with offset usage flag are true, the process (1500) proceeds to (S1504). At (S1504), when more than one predictor candidates are used to decide a base predictor, a base predictor index is signaled by the encoder at (S1506). Otherwise, the process (1500) proceeds to (S1505) where a predefined base predictor index is applied.

The process (1500) then proceeds to (S1507) when the base predictor is defined either at (S1505) or (S1506). At (S1507), for each of the control points of the current block, a Zero_delta flag is signaled by the encoder. When the Zero_delta flag is true, the process (1500) proceeds to (S1508) and (S1512) accordingly. At (S1508), current block's scaling parameter is set to be equal to the base predictor's scaling parameter ρ. At (S1512), current block's rotational parameter is set to be equal to the base predictor's rotational parameter θ.

When the Zero_delta flag is false, the process (1500) proceeds to (S1509) and (S1511) accordingly. At (S1509), a Delta Scaling Index is signaled by the encoder. The Delta Scaling Index is associated with a delta scaling parameter. At (S1510), the decoder decodes the Delta Scaling Index to derive the delta scaling parameter, and the current block's scaling parameter is generated by combining the base predictor's scaling parameter and the delta scaling parameter. Similarly, at (S1511), A Delta Rotation Index is signaled by the encoder. The Delta Rotation Index is associated with a delta rotational parameter. At (S1513), the decoder decodes the Delta Rotation Index to derive the delta rotation parameter, and the current block's rotational parameter is generated by combining the base predictor's rotational parameter and the delta rotational parameter.

The process 1500 subsequently proceeds to (S1514). At (S1514), for each of the control points of the current block, a Zero_MVD flag is signaled by the encoder. When the Zero_MVD flag is true, the process (1500) proceeds to (S1516) where a translational MV of a control point of the base predictor is set as a translational MV of a control point of the block. When the Zero_MVD flag is false, the process (1500) proceeds to (S1515) where a Distance Offset Index and an Offset Direction Index for the CP of the block are signaled by the encoder. The decoder subsequently decodes the distance offset index to determine a distance offset value, and decode the offset direction index to determine an offset direction. The distance offset value and the offset direction are accordingly applied onto the translational MV of the control point of the base predictor to generate the translational MV of the control point of the block in the current picture.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, a usage flag is signaled after the merge flag, to indicate whether the proposed method is used or not. Since the proposed method is applied for affine inter prediction, when the usage flag is signaled to be true, the affine flag for the current block can be inferred to be true.

In another embodiment, a usage flag is signaled after the merge flag and the affine flag when both the merge flag and the affine flag are true. Otherwise, when the merge flag is false or the affine flag is false, the usage flag is inferred to be false.

When the proposed method is used, a base index can be signaled to indicate which affine predictor candidate is used as the base predictor. When only one affine predictor candidate is allowed, the base index can be skipped

In an embodiment, the base index indicates which candidate from the affine merge candidate list to be used as the base predictor.

In another embodiment, the base index indicates which affine MVP candidate to be used as the base predictor.

In some embodiments, when the affine merge candidate or affine MVP candidate is unavailable, the proposed method can be disabled or can be enabled with a default base affine model, such as translational model, or zero motion vectors, etc.

For affine parameters, a Zero_Delta flag may be used to indicate whether the affine motion parameter delta (AMPD) is zero. When the AMPD is indicated to be zero, the current block's corresponding affine parameter is set as the affine parameter of the base predictor.

In an embodiment, a respective Zero_Delta flag can be explicitly signaled for each of the affine parameters, such as a rotation parameter, a scaling parameter, and a translational MVD. When the respective Zero_Delta flag is false, the corresponding affine parameter can be signaled.

In another embodiment, only one Zero_Delta flag can be signaled for all the affine parameters of the block. When the Zero_delta flag is false, all affine parameters can be signaled.

In some embodiments, the delta scaling parameter can be signaled by sending the delta scaling index Idx_ρ. A corresponding delta scaling parameter value can be derived from a delta scaling parameter table that is associated with the delta scaling index.

In an embodiment, the delta scaling parameter table can be shown in Table 10, where the delta scaling index Idx_ρ can include nine indices, and each of the nice indices can include a corresponding delta scaling parameter Δρ. The delta scaling parameter Δρ can be equal to a value that is a multiple of n. The n can be a preset or signaled scaling parameter. The signaling of n can be done at block level, CTU level, slice/picture level or sequence level. For example, n can be 1/16. The value of n can also be a predefined fixed value.

TABLE 10 Mapping of direction IDXs to directions Idx_ρ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Δρ 0 +n −n +2n −2n +4n −4n +8n −8n

The delta rotational parameter can be signaled by sending the delta rotation index Idx_θ. The corresponding delta rotational parameter value can be derived from a delta rotational parameter table by using the index Idx_θ.

In an embodiment, the delta rotational parameter table can be shown at Table 11. As shown in Table 11, the delta rotation index Idx_θ can include nine indices, and each of the indices maps to a pair of sin and cos value of the corresponding angle of rotation θ.

TABLE 11 Mapping of idx_θ to sin θ and (cos θ){circumflex over ( )}2 Idx_θ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Δ(cosθ){circumflex over ( )}2 1 1 1/32 1 1/32 1 1/16 1 1/16 1⅛ 1⅛ 1¼ 1¼ Δsinθ 0 Sqrt( 1/32) −Sqrt( 1/32) ¼ −¼ Sqrt(⅛) −Sqrt(⅛) ½ −½

In another embodiment, α is a preset or signaled delta angle parameter. Each of the indices can be mapped to a respective delta angel value Δθ, which can be shown in Table 12.

TABLE 12 Mapping of the idx_θ and Δθ Idx_θ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Δθ 0 +α −α +2α −2α +3α −3α +4α −4α

Table 13 provides another mapping example of idx_θ and Δθ.

TABLE 13 Mapping of the idx_θ and Δθ Idx_θ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Δθ 0 +α −α +2α −2α +4α −4α +8α −8α

The signaling of α can be done at block level, CTU level, slice/picture level or sequence level. The α can also be a predefined fixed value.

It should be mentioned that above tables are merely examples, and the possible number of delta values is not fixed to be 8. Other suitable values, such as 4, 16, etc. can be used.

In the above examples, the binarization of the delta scaling index and/or delta rotation index can be configured in the following way: 1 bit is used to signal if the index is 0 or not. If yes, not additional bit is needed. If not, in one embodiment, variable length coding, such as truncated binary, exponential-golomb code, etc, applies to index from 1-8. In another embodiment, if not, fix length coding is used to signal index from 1-8.

For the affine model's translational motion information part {c, f}, the prediction method can be as same as the control point motion vector prediction methods described above. The control-point based affine merge with offset method described above can be applied to drive the translational MV of the affine block. For example, a translational zero_MVD flag can be used to indicate whether a motion vector difference between the predictions translational MV and the current block's translation MV exists. When the translational zero_MVD flag is false, a translational distance offset index and a translational offset direction index can be signaled by the encoder. The decoder can decode the distance offset index to derive a distance offset value, and decode the offset direction index to determine an offset direction. The distance offset value and the offset direction can be applied onto the translational motion vector of the base predictor to generate the translational motion vector of the block.

Table 14 provides an example of signaling of indices and flags that can be applied in the method mentioned above.

TABLE 14 An example of signaling of indices and flags Usage Zero_Delta Idx_θ Zero_delta Idx_ρ Translational Translational Translational Flag rotation scaling zero_MVD Distance Offset flag flag Flag offset Index Direction Index

Table 15 provides another example of signaling of indices and flags that can be applied in the method mentioned above.

TABLE 15 Another example of signaling of indices and flags Usage Zero_Delta Idx_θ Idx_ρ Translational Translational Translational Flag flag zero_MVD Distance Offset Flag offset Index Direction Index

FIG. 16 shows a flow chart outlining a process (1600) according to an embodiment of the disclosure. The process (1600) can be used in the reconstruction of a block coded in intra mode, so to generate a prediction block for the block under reconstruction. In various embodiments, the process (1600) are executed by processing circuitry, such as the processing circuitry in the terminal devices (210), (220), (230) and (240), the processing circuitry that performs functions of the video encoder (303), the processing circuitry that performs functions of the video decoder (310), the processing circuitry that performs functions of the video decoder (410), the processing circuitry that performs functions of the intra prediction module (452), the processing circuitry that performs functions of the video encoder (503), the processing circuitry that performs functions of the predictor (535), the processing circuitry that performs functions of the intra encoder (622), the processing circuitry that performs functions of the intra decoder (772), and the like. In some embodiments, the process (1600) is implemented in software instructions, thus when the processing circuitry executes the software instructions, the processing circuitry performs the process (1600). The process starts at (S1601) and proceeds to (S1610).

At (S1610), prediction information of a block in a current picture can be decoded from a coded video bitstream. The prediction information includes a plurality of offset indices for prediction offsets associated with an affine model in an inter prediction mode.

At (S1620), parameters of the affine model can be determined based on the plurality of offset indices. Each of the plurality of the offset indices includes a respective pre-defined mapping table that includes indexes and corresponding offset values. The parameters of the affine model can be used to transform between the block and a reference block in a reference picture that has been reconstructed. Tables 3-13 show various examples of pre-defined mappings of indexes and offset values, and can be used to determine parameters of the affine model.

At (S1630), samples of the block are reconstructed according to the affine model. In an example, a reference pixel in the reference picture that corresponds to a pixel in the block is determined according to the affine model. Further, the pixel in the block is reconstructed according to the reference pixel in the reference picture. Then, the process proceeds to (S1699) and terminates.

In the disclosure, the proposed methods can be used separately or combined in any order. Further, the methods (or embodiments) may be implemented by processing circuitry (e.g., one or more processors or one or more integrated circuits). In an example, the one or more processors execute a program that is stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

The techniques described above, can be implemented as computer software using computer-readable instructions and physically stored in one or more computer-readable media. For example, FIG. 17 shows a computer system (1700) suitable for implementing certain embodiments of the disclosed subject matter.

The computer software can be coded using any suitable machine code or computer language, that may be subject to assembly, compilation, linking, or like mechanisms to create code comprising instructions that can be executed directly, or through interpretation, micro-code execution, and the like, by one or more computer central processing units (CPUs), Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), and the like.

The instructions can be executed on various types of computers or components thereof, including, for example, personal computers, tablet computers, servers, smartphones, gaming devices, internet of things devices, and the like.

The components shown in FIG. 17 for computer system (1700) are exemplary in nature and are not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the computer software implementing embodiments of the present disclosure. Neither should the configuration of components be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated in the exemplary embodiment of a computer system (1700).

Computer system (1700) may include certain human interface input devices. Such a human interface input device may be responsive to input by one or more human users through, for example, tactile input (such as: keystrokes, swipes, data glove movements), audio input (such as: voice, clapping), visual input (such as: gestures), olfactory input (not depicted). The human interface devices can also be used to capture certain media not necessarily directly related to conscious input by a human, such as audio (such as: speech, music, ambient sound), images (such as: scanned images, photographic images obtain from a still image camera), video (such as two-dimensional video, three-dimensional video including stereoscopic video).

Input human interface devices may include one or more of (only one of each depicted): keyboard (1701), mouse (1702), trackpad (1703), touch screen (1710), data-glove (not shown), joystick (1705), microphone (1706), scanner (1707), camera (1708).

Computer system (1700) may also include certain human interface output devices. Such human interface output devices may be stimulating the senses of one or more human users through, for example, tactile output, sound, light, and smell/taste. Such human interface output devices may include tactile output devices (for example tactile feedback by the touch-screen (1710), data-glove (not shown), or joystick (1705), but there can also be tactile feedback devices that do not serve as input devices), audio output devices (such as: speakers (1709), headphones (not depicted)), visual output devices (such as screens (1710) to include CRT screens, LCD screens, plasma screens, OLED screens, each with or without touch-screen input capability, each with or without tactile feedback capability—some of which may be capable to output two dimensional visual output or more than three dimensional output through means such as stereographic output; virtual-reality glasses (not depicted), holographic displays and smoke tanks (not depicted)), and printers (not depicted).

Computer system (1700) can also include human accessible storage devices and their associated media such as optical media including CD/DVD ROM/RW (1720) with CD/DVD or the like media (1721), thumb-drive (1722), removable hard drive or solid state drive (1723), legacy magnetic media such as tape and floppy disc (not depicted), specialized ROM/ASIC/PLD based devices such as security dongles (not depicted), and the like.

Those skilled in the art should also understand that term “computer readable media” as used in connection with the presently disclosed subject matter does not encompass transmission media, carrier waves, or other transitory signals.

Computer system (1700) can also include an interface to one or more communication networks. Networks can for example be wireless, wireline, optical. Networks can further be local, wide-area, metropolitan, vehicular and industrial, real-time, delay-tolerant, and so on. Examples of networks include local area networks such as Ethernet, wireless LANs, cellular networks to include GSM, 3G, 4G, 5G, LTE and the like, TV wireline or wireless wide area digital networks to include cable TV, satellite TV, and terrestrial broadcast TV, vehicular and industrial to include CANBus, and so forth. Certain networks commonly require external network interface adapters that attached to certain general purpose data ports or peripheral buses (1749) (such as, for example USB ports of the computer system (1700)); others are commonly integrated into the core of the computer system (1700) by attachment to a system bus as described below (for example Ethernet interface into a PC computer system or cellular network interface into a smartphone computer system). Using any of these networks, computer system (1700) can communicate with other entities. Such communication can be uni-directional, receive only (for example, broadcast TV), uni-directional send-only (for example CANbus to certain CANbus devices), or bi-directional, for example to other computer systems using local or wide area digital networks. Certain protocols and protocol stacks can be used on each of those networks and network interfaces as described above.

Aforementioned human interface devices, human-accessible storage devices, and network interfaces can be attached to a core (1740) of the computer system (1700).

The core (1740) can include one or more Central Processing Units (CPU) (1741), Graphics Processing Units (GPU) (1742), specialized programmable processing units in the form of Field Programmable Gate Areas (FPGA) (1743), hardware accelerators for certain tasks (1744), and so forth. These devices, along with Read-only memory (ROM) (1745), Random-access memory (1746), internal mass storage such as internal non-user accessible hard drives, SSDs, and the like (1747), may be connected through a system bus (1748). In some computer systems, the system bus (1748) can be accessible in the form of one or more physical plugs to enable extensions by additional CPUs, GPU, and the like. The peripheral devices can be attached either directly to the core's system bus (1748), or through a peripheral bus (1749). Architectures for a peripheral bus include PCI, USB, and the like.

CPUs (1741), GPUs (1742), FPGAs (1743), and accelerators (1744) can execute certain instructions that, in combination, can make up the aforementioned computer code. That computer code can be stored in ROM (1745) or RAM (1746). Transitional data can be also be stored in RAM (1746), whereas permanent data can be stored for example, in the internal mass storage (1747). Fast storage and retrieve to any of the memory devices can be enabled through the use of cache memory, that can be closely associated with one or more CPU (1741), GPU (1742), mass storage (1747), ROM (1745), RAM (1746), and the like.

The computer readable media can have computer code thereon for performing various computer-implemented operations. The media and computer code can be those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of the present disclosure, or they can be of the kind well known and available to those having skill in the computer software arts.

As an example and not by way of limitation, the computer system having architecture (1700), and specifically the core (1740) can provide functionality as a result of processor(s) (including CPUs, GPUs, FPGA, accelerators, and the like) executing software embodied in one or more tangible, computer-readable media. Such computer-readable media can be media associated with user-accessible mass storage as introduced above, as well as certain storage of the core (1740) that are of non-transitory nature, such as core-internal mass storage (1747) or ROM (1745). The software implementing various embodiments of the present disclosure can be stored in such devices and executed by core (1740). A computer-readable medium can include one or more memory devices or chips, according to particular needs. The software can cause the core (1740) and specifically the processors therein (including CPU, GPU, FPGA, and the like) to execute particular processes or particular parts of particular processes described herein, including defining data structures stored in RAM (1746) and modifying such data structures according to the processes defined by the software. In addition or as an alternative, the computer system can provide functionality as a result of logic hardwired or otherwise embodied in a circuit (for example: accelerator (1744)), which can operate in place of or together with software to execute particular processes or particular parts of particular processes described herein. Reference to software can encompass logic, and vice versa, where appropriate. Reference to a computer-readable media can encompass a circuit (such as an integrated circuit (IC)) storing software for execution, a circuit embodying logic for execution, or both, where appropriate. The present disclosure encompasses any suitable combination of hardware and software.

Appendix A: Acronyms

JEM: joint exploration model

VVC: versatile video coding

BMS: benchmark set

MV: Motion Vector

HEVC: High Efficiency Video Coding

SEI: Supplementary Enhancement Information

VUI: Video Usability Information

GOPs: Groups of Pictures

TUs: Transform Units,

PUs: Prediction Units

CTUs: Coding Tree Units

CTBs: Coding Tree Blocks

PBs: Prediction Blocks

HRD: Hypothetical Reference Decoder

SNR: Signal Noise Ratio

CPUs: Central Processing Units

GPUs: Graphics Processing Units

CRT: Cathode Ray Tube

LCD: Liquid-Crystal Display

OLED: Organic Light-Emitting Diode

CD: Compact Disc

DVD: Digital Video Disc

ROM: Read-Only Memory

RAM: Random Access Memory

ASIC: Application-Specific Integrated Circuit

PLD: Programmable Logic Device

LAN: Local Area Network

GSM: Global System for Mobile communications

LTE: Long-Term Evolution

CANBus: Controller Area Network Bus

USB: Universal Serial Bus

PCI: Peripheral Component Interconnect

FPGA: Field Programmable Gate Areas

SSD: solid-state drive

IC: Integrated Circuit

CU: Coding Unit

While this disclosure has described several exemplary embodiments, there are alterations, permutations, and various substitute equivalents, which fall within the scope of the disclosure. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise numerous systems and methods which, although not explicitly shown or described herein, embody the principles of the disclosure and are thus within the spirit and scope thereof. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for video encoding in an encoder, comprising: determining a base predictor of a block in a current picture; determining a plurality of offset indexes in a plurality of respective pre-defined mapping tables, the plurality of offset indexes indicating corresponding offset values to be applied to parameters of an affine model for the base predictor; and generating a coded video bitstream, the coded video bitstream including prediction information that indicates the plurality of offset indexes, wherein the pre-defined mapping tables include a first mapping table of distance offset indexes that are mapped to different pixel distances and a second mapping table of offset direction indexes that are mapped to different pairs of offset directions on an x-axis and a y-axis.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of offset indexes further comprises at least one of a delta scaling index and a delta rotation index.
 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: determining the base predictor of the block from a predictor candidate list, the predictor candidate list including more than one predictor candidate, wherein the prediction information includes a base predictor index that indicates the base predictor in the predictor candidate list.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the plurality of offset indexes comprises: determining a first distance offset index of a first distance offset value included in the pre-defined mapping table of the first distance offset index; and determining a first offset direction index of a first offset direction included in the pre-defined mapping table of the offset direction index.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein a motion vector for one of two or more control points of the block in the current picture is determined based on at least the base predictor, the first distance offset value, and the first offset direction by applying the first distance offfset value and the first offset direction to a motion vector of a control point of the base predictor to generate the motion vector for the one of the two or more control points of the block in the current picture which are input as part of the parameters of the affine model for determining motion vectors for remaining points with the block of the current picture.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first distance offset value and the first offset direction are applied to the motion vector of the control point of the base predictor to generate the motion vector for the one of the two or more control points of the block in the current picture.
 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the prediction information includes a first zero motion vector difference flag that indicates whether the first distance offset value and the first offset direction are applied to a first motion vector of the control point of the base predictor on a first inter prediction direction to generate a first motion vector for the one of the two or more control points of the block in the current picture on the first inter prediction direction; and the prediction information includes a second zero motion vector difference flag that indicates whether a second distance offset value and a second offset direction are applied to a second motion vector of the control point of the base predictor on a second inter prediction direction to generate a second motion vector for the one of the two of more control points of the block in the current picture on the second inter prediction direction.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the pre-defined mapping tables is adjustable and indicated at one of a sequence level, a slice level, a tile level, a tile group level, and a block level.
 9. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining the plurality of offset indexes comprises: determining the delta scaling index based on a delta scaling parameter included in the pre-defined mapping table of the delta scaling index, and determining the delta rotation index based on a delta rotation parameter included in the pre-defined mapping table of the delta rotation index; and a motion vector for one of two or more control points of the block in the current picture is based further on at least the delta scaling parameter and the delta rotation parameter.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the prediction information includes a zero delta flag that indicates whether the delta scaling parameter is applied to a scaling parameter of the base predictor to generate the scaling parameter of the block.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the prediction information includes a zero delta flag that indicates whether the delta rotation parameter is applied to a rotation parameter of the base predictor to generate the rotation parameter of the block in the current picture.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the prediction information includes a zero motion vector difference flag that indicates whether a distance offset value and an offset direction are applied to a translational motion vector of the base predictor to generate the translational motion vector of the block.
 13. An apparatus for video encoding, comprising: processing circuitry configured to: determine a base predictor of a block in a current picture; determine a plurality of offset indexes in a plurality of respective pre-defined mapping tables, the plurality of offset indexes indicating corresponding offset values to be applied to parameters of an affine model for the base predictor; and generate a coded video bitstream, the coded video bitstream including prediction information that indicates the plurality of offset indexes, wherein the pre-defined mapping tables include a first mapping table of distance offset indexes that are mapped to different pixel distances and a second mapping table of offset direction indexes that are mapped to different pairs of directions on an x-axis and a y-axis.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein processing circuitry is configured to: determine the base predictor of the block from a predictor candidate list, the predictor candidate list including more than one predictor candidate, wherein the prediction information includes a base predictor index that indicates the base predictor in the predictor candidate list.
 15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the plurality of offset indexes includes a first distance offset index and a first offset direction index; and the processing circuitry is configured to: determine the first distance offset index of a first distance offset value included in the pre-defined mapping table of the first distance offset index, and determine a first offset direction index of a first offset direction included in the pre-defined mapping table of the offset direction index.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a motion vector for one of two or more control points of the block in the current picture is determined based on at least the base predictor, the first distance offset value, and the first offset direction by applying the first distance offset value and the first offset direction onto a motion vector of a control point of the base predictor to generate the motion vector for the one of the two or more control points of the block in the current picture which are input as part of the parameters of the affine model for determining motion vectors for remaining points with the block of the current picture.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first distance offset value and the first offset direction are applied to the motion vector of the control point of the base predictor to generate the motion vector for the one of the two or more control points of the block in the current picture.
 18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the prediction information includes a first zero motion vector difference flag that indicates whether the first distance offset value and the first offset direction are applied to a first motion vector of the control point of the base predictor on a first inter prediction direction to generate a first motion vector for the one of the two or more control points of the block in the current picture on the first inter prediction direction; and the prediction information includes a second zero motion vector difference flag that indicates whether a second distance offset value and a second offset direction are applied to a second motion vector of the control point of the base predictor on a second inter prediction direction to generate a second motion vector for the one of the two or more control points of the block in the current picture on the second inter prediction direction.
 19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of offset indices further comprises at least a delta scaling index and a delta rotation index; the processing circuitry is configured to: determine the delta scaling index based on a delta scaling parameter included in the pre-defined mapping table of the delta scaling index, and determine the delta rotation index based on a delta rotation parameter included in the pre-defined mapping table of the delta rotation index; and a motion vector for one of two or more control points of the block in the current picture is based further on at least the delta scaling parameter and the delta rotation parameter.
 20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which when executed by a computer for video encoding cause the computer to perform a method comprising: determining a base predictor of a block in a current picture; determining a plurality of offset indexes in a plurality of respective pre-defined mapping tables, the plurality of offset indexes indicating corresponding offset values to be applied to parameters of an affine model for the base predictor; and generating a coded video bitstream, the coded video bitstream including prediction information that indicates the plurality of offset indexes, wherein the pre-defined mapping tables include a first mapping table of distance offset indexes that are mapped to different pixel distances and a second mapping table of offset direction indexes that are mapped to pairs of offset directions on an x-axis and a y-axis. 